Former CBI JD Lakshminarayana's Wife Duped For Rs 2.58 cr By Cyber Criminals
11 Jan 2026 6:06 PM IST11 Jan 2026 6:06 PM IST
Reportedly, she mortgaged the gold she and her husband possessed to raise the amount
One of the criminals, Dinesh Singh, gained the trust of Urmila and convinced her sending some screenshots that profits to the extent of 500% could be earned if money was invested in the manner they suggested. Reinforcing his claims, one of the members too shares screenshots that she had earned huge profits when she followed their advice. — Internet
Hyderabad: A special team of the city cyber crime police has launched a high-profile probe into a daring digital heist where fraudsters swindled Rs 2.58 crore from the wife of CBI former joint director V.V. Lakshmi Narayana.
"Our forensic experts and technical teams have launched a massive manhunt. Our top priority is tracing the money trail across multiple bank accounts to identify the perpetrators," a senior police officer disclosed.
Cyber crime technical team has retrieved data of the scammers from the victim’s device shows that between December 24, 2025, and January 5, 2026, or 13 days, the syndicate manipulated her into making 19 separate transactions, funnelling a total of `2.58 crore into various "mule" accounts.
The bubble burst when the victim stopped transferring funds, prompting the scammers to threaten her with the total loss of her capital. Investigators discovered that the sophisticated syndicate utilised international routing servers to mask their location, prompting the involvement of the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRB) in the investigation.
According to R.G. Siva Maruthi, ACP, cybercrime, preliminary investigations revealed that the scammers operated through international servers to send unsolicited WhatsApp invitations promising astronomical returns on stock market investments. Reliable sources disclosed that technical evidence collected so far indicates the gang lured the former CBI JD’s wife with the promise of a staggering 500 per cent return on investment.
A fraudster, identifying himself as "Dinesh Singh," spent the last two months conducting seemingly "scholarly" trading sessions to establish credibility. To further cement the deception, the crooks shared forged Sebi-certified documents. Technical teams have already harvested crucial evidence from the victim’s mobile phone and email accounts.
The heist is reminiscent of Hindi movie ‘Dhoom’, where the thief targets popular figures. It is suspected that the scammers knowingly targeted the victim due to her profile. In a calculated move, they ensured the former CBI top cop — renowned for his high-profile investigations — joined a WhatsApp group at his wife’s request to assist her with the technicalities of the platform, thereby inadvertently legitimising the scheme in her eyes.
Cyber crime technical team has retrieved data of the scammers from the victim’s device shows that between December 24, 2025, and January 5, 2026, or 13 days, the syndicate manipulated her into making 19 separate transactions, funnelling a total of `2.58 crore into various "mule" accounts.
The bubble burst when the victim stopped transferring funds, prompting the scammers to threaten her with the total loss of her capital. Investigators discovered that the sophisticated syndicate utilised international routing servers to mask their location, prompting the involvement of the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRB) in the investigation.
According to R.G. Siva Maruthi, ACP, cybercrime, preliminary investigations revealed that the scammers operated through international servers to send unsolicited WhatsApp invitations promising astronomical returns on stock market investments. Reliable sources disclosed that technical evidence collected so far indicates the gang lured the former CBI JD’s wife with the promise of a staggering 500 per cent return on investment.
A fraudster, identifying himself as "Dinesh Singh," spent the last two months conducting seemingly "scholarly" trading sessions to establish credibility. To further cement the deception, the crooks shared forged Sebi-certified documents. Technical teams have already harvested crucial evidence from the victim’s mobile phone and email accounts.
The heist is reminiscent of Hindi movie ‘Dhoom’, where the thief targets popular figures. It is suspected that the scammers knowingly targeted the victim due to her profile. In a calculated move, they ensured the former CBI top cop — renowned for his high-profile investigations — joined a WhatsApp group at his wife’s request to assist her with the technicalities of the platform, thereby inadvertently legitimising the scheme in her eyes.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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